Chapter 11: Guilt-Ridden

Holly paced the bathroom, biting her nails. Linda sat on the toilet seat. "What are you so nervous about? Didn't you want a lot of kids?"

Holly lowered her hand and sighed. "There's something I haven't told you, Linds."

"What is it?" Linda asked, sensing that the news was big.

"I slept with Joey and both of them could be the father." Holly blurted as she brought a shaky hand to her forehead.

"You did what?!" Linda hissed, eyes huge. "When? How? Where?"

"Keep it down! Atem doesn't know. Last month while he was babysitting the twins. I admitted my feelings and it just happened." Holly sighed again. "Let's just hope it's negative." She glanced down at the innocent-looking pregnancy test she'd taken.

"Well, it's too late to do anything now. I know your feelings about abortion." Linda sighed. She checked her watch. "It's time. Might as well check."

Holly took a deep breath and picked up the pregnancy test. She stared at it without saying anything. "Well?" Linda asked impatiently.

"I'm pregnant." Holly said finally, looking at her best friend.

"What are you going to say to Atem?" Linda asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm going to tell him about the pregnancy. There's no need to hurt him when there's a chance that it's his. It'll only hurt him. And his relationship with Joey."

"Your choice." Linda sighed. "I suppose you want me to keep the truth a secret?"

"Would you?" Holly asked hopefully.

"Chicks before…well, you get the idea…" Linda gave her a smile, which Holly returned weakly.

Holly headed out of the bathroom and found Atem playing with the twins. "Hey, can I talk to you?" she asked, leaning against the door frame. Linda appeared behind her.

Atem looked up and winced as Abby pulled on one of his bangs. "Sure, Linda would you watch the girls?"

"If I can get her out of your hair." Linda grinned. She slipped past Holly and went in, taking Abby from Atem.

"Funny." Atem chuckled. Linda got Abby to release Atem's hair and Atem headed to the door. "Ladies first."

Holly led him to their bedroom. "Sit down. This is big news."

"What is it?" Atem asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm pregnant. I know we didn't plan it, but I'm not going to get rid of this pregnancy. We didn't talk about it last time because there was no time to since they were coming so quickly, but-"

Atem stood quickly as she spoke, silencing her with a finger to the lips. "You're rambling, honey. I don't want you to get an abortion. I want to have another baby."

"Really?" Holly mumbled around his finger.

"Really." Atem nodded. "I better go start my shift in the shop. Talk later?"

"Of course." Holly moved his hand away and kissed him tenderly.

There was a knock on the door and Joey poked his head in. "I came over looking for you and Linda said you were probably in here. Am I interrupting something?"

"Congratulate me, Joey. I'm going to be a dad again." Atem grinned, holding his arms out for a hug.

Joey managed a smile as he hugged Atem. He gave Holly a look over Atem's shoulder and she shook her head. "Can I talk to Holly for a moment? Just want to check on how the girls are doing." He explained. "Congrats, by the way."

"Thanks. I'll meet you guys downstairs." Atem headed out of the room.

Joey made sure Atem was downstairs before he rounded on Holly. "You're pregnant? Or did he get another girl pregnant?"

"No, it's me. And I'm afraid he's not the father." Holly voiced her fear for the first time to someone other than Linda.

"Is it possible it could be Atem's?" Joey asked. "Cause if it ain't, you need to tell him."

"No, it still could be. Out of guilt I slept with him that night." Holly explained.

Joey sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Oh man, this is messed up. I may have gotten my best friend's wife pregnant."

"It may be Atem's, we don't know. Best not to break the bad news unless there is bad news to break."

"Your relationship." Joey sighed. "But he's going to be even more pissed if he finds out later."

"I know. But I can't let him get hurt if it turns out it's his." Holly sighed. "Keep it a secret, please?"

"Fine." Joey sighed. "What's one more secret?"

"Thanks." Holly smiled gratefully.

Holly found out a few months later that she was having twin boys and by the time she was about to deliver, she worried daily about who the father of her twins were.

Finally, Holly went into labor in late June and Atem took her to the hospital. Joey, Linda, and their friends arrived and waited for the babies to be born. Even Seto had joined in the waiting rather reluctantly.

As the first baby was born, Atem frowned down at the baby boy. The boy had milky skin and blond hair. "That bastard!" he snarled and stormed out of the room.

Holly began crying as she saw the baby. "Oh God…" she moaned.

Joey was waiting in the waiting room for word on Holly and the babies when Atem stormed in, grabbing Joey by the front of his shirt. Without saying a word, he punched Joey in the face.

"Woah, what the hell's going on?" Tristan demanded, jumping to his feet.

Atem continued to beat Joey, fury radiating off him. Joey refused to fight back, accepting his fate. Seto finally pulled the teen off Joey. "As much as I like the idea of Wheeler getting the shit beaten out of him, what the hell is going on?" he demanded.

Atem continued to struggle futilely in Seto's grip, glaring at Joey. Joey slumped against the wall, bruised and bloodied. "He's the father of Holly's baby."

"What?!" Yugi, Tea, and Tristan gasped in surprise. "How do you know? How could that possibly be?"

"The baby is white and has blond hair. No way he would get that from me. As for how that could happen, ask my former best friend." Atem snarled, and he stopped his struggling.

That remark stung worse than Joey's injuries. "Look, I didn't mean for it to happen." Joey struggled to speak through a fat lip. "It just…happened…" Joey groaned and slipped further down the wall.

Linda knelt beside Joey. "We'll get you a doctor to check you out, okay?"

"I'll be fine." Joey panted, wincing. He looked up at Atem. "You got any more in ya? I don't want you to hold back. I deserve everything you'd give me and more…"

Joey saw when reason returned to Atem's eyes as he realized what he'd done. "Let me go. I won't hurt him." He told Seto.

Seto reluctantly let him go. "I'm not leaving so you two can kiss and make up."

Atem ignored Seto and walked hesitantly over. "I'm sorry, Joey. I was just so furious when I saw the baby come out the way he did. I wish you'd told me."

Joey shifted uncomfortably and winced. "Could we talk about this later? I feel like I'm going to pass out..."

A nurse entered the room. "Is either one of you Linda?" she asked Linda and Tea.

"Yes, I am. What's wrong with Holly or the babies?" Linda stood and went to the nurse.

"She wants to see you. She's had the second baby and is in recovery." She looked from Atem to Joey, eyes widening. She turned to Atem. "You might want to come, too."

"I don't think I want to see her right now." Atem shook his head.

"You might want to see the other baby." The nurse said knowingly, motioning for them to follow.

Linda looked at Seto. "Can you make sure he gets a doctor?" she asked, hopefully.

Seto nodded. "After I saved him from the madman I might as well get him help."

Atem and Linda followed the nurse to the recovery room where Holly was resting comfortably. Holly was lying on her side facing away from the door as they entered. "Holly? I brought Atem."

"I don't want to see him." Holly sniffled.

"What did the nurse mean about needing to see the other baby?" Linda asked Atem quietly. She looked over to where two baby warmers stood. They approached them and gasped. "How could that be…?" she asked.

One twin was the light skinned blond haired baby he'd seen before. The other was a caramel color with jet-black hair. "I think it's time for a DNA test." Atem sighed.

"There's no doubt who the father of that one is." Linda reminded him.

Atem nodded, eyes glued to his first son. "My first son…"

"Atem?" Linda nudged his shoulder, and nodded to Holly.

Atem sighed and went over to the bed. He sat down in the chair beside it and took her hand. "Holly, look at me." He murmured. Holly shook her head. "Holly, look at me." He ordered.

Holly turned her head and looked at her. Despite the fact that her face was blotchy with tears, he still found her beautiful. "You hate me." She whispered.

"I could never hate you. I love you so much. I just need some time to digest this." Atem gave her a small smile.

"You want a divorce?" Holly asked sadly.

Atem shook his head. "No, I don't give up that easily. We'll work it out."

Holly sat up and flung herself into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder. Atem patted her back. When she pulled back slightly with a hiccup, she asked, "How did it go with Joey?"

Atem shrugged. "I'm not proud of how I handled the news. He's seeing a doctor if Kaiba kept his word."

Holly looked alarmed. She looked down and saw his knuckles were bloody. "You beat him up?" she gasped.

"He'll live. I just saw red and took my anger out on him. I have a temper issue." Atem looked down at their joined hands. "Not the worst thing I've done in anger."

"You can tell me the story another time. We need to think of a name for our little boy." Holly nodded to the baby warmers.

"Atem Jr.?" Atem suggested, half-joking.

Holly scowled. "He would be teased something fierce. It'll be bad enough if he gets your hair."

"No digging on the hair. It's part of the reason we got him in the first place?" Atem reminded her.

Holly blushed, remembering how they liked when she dug her hands into her hair during sex. "I remember." She murmured. She thought a moment. "How about Logan?"

"Logan…" Atem repeated thoughtfully. "Logan Mutou? I like it. What about the other baby?"

"Not to bring up the issue, but since Joey probably is the father, he should be in on the discussion of the name."

"I am not willing to let him give the son that is going to be in our house his last name." Atem scowled.

Joey came in, walking carefully. "Hey, how are you feeling, Holly?" he asked. His face was covered in bruises.

"I was going to ask you the same question." Holly looked guilty, as did Atem.

Joey shrugged and winced. "I'm okay. Is one of them my baby?" he asked.

"Take a look for yourself." Atem gestured to the baby warmers.

Joey carefully made his way to the baby warmers and looked down at his son. "Wow, he looks just like me…"

"He still needs a name, though. We thought since he was your baby too, we should get your input on it." Holly suggested.

Joey looked up at them. "What's his brother's name?" he asked.

"Logan." Atem replied, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"How about Cameron?" Joey suggested. "It sounds cool. Logan and Cameron."

"Who's name do they get?" Atem asked, frowning.

"Well, it would look weird if the baby didn't have the last name of either parent, so maybe you should give your last name to your baby?" Holly suggested.

"And who is my baby going to stay with? I ain't gonna be a weekend parent." Joey scowled.

"Grandpa loves having you over, why not see if he'll let you move in? It will give you a chance to be a hands-on parent." Holly suggested.

"I don't like that." Atem said at once. "You slept with him once, I'm afraid with him living in the same house, you might get tempted again."

Holly put a hand on Atem's. "Atem, I felt so guilty when it happened that I don't think I could do that again. I promise I'll do everything to get us back on track."

"Good." Atem gave her a soft kiss.